Susan Gibson, long time resident of Hailey and Ketchum, died of leukemia in Twin Falls on Jan. 23. She is survived by her brother, Chuck Gibson; his wife; Joanne; and a niece and two nephews and their families, all in Massachusetts.
Sue was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 15, 1943. She attended grammar and high school in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. At the University of Georgia she was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority and received a degree in journalism.
She married Peter Anderson of Atlanta in 1965 and while living there created a business in interior design. In 1973 the couple moved to Ketchum, Idaho, where in partnership with another couple they purchased an answering service/dispatch business. After a divorce Sue became active as an entertainer, participant and actor in radio and TV commercials, and teacher of those skills. She returned to Ft. Lauderdale and Atlanta to pursue her interests and renew old friendships, eventually returning to Ketchum and Hailey and in retirement to Twin Falls.
Anyone who ever met Sue would never forget her infectiously friendly personality, quick wit, and dedicated love of animals.
Sue was born to perform and proved that in comedy and open-microphone shows in Ft. Lauderdale and in the Whoop Show with Chris Millspaugh and Nicki Lee in Ketchum in the 1980s. A lifetime highlight for her was an appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show. That came about as a result of her turning being misdiagnosed for a serious illness into a personal drama with a lesson for all.
She rode horses when she was healthy and had trained her two house cats to perform acrobatics. Her close friends and supporters in recent years included Lyn Stallard and Cari Larsen of Hailey. Larsen also served as Sue's heath agent and power of attorney in her final years.